What can only be called a long running drama, the EU has once again put its foot down when it comes to chargers for various consumer electronics devices, although it's mostly about smartphones and regular old mobile phones these days. The whole thing took off some time in 2009, although back then, it was a voluntary effort and according to today's press release by the EU Commission, we're down from 30 to three "competing" standards (micro USB, lightning and USB-C), but apparently that is still not good enough.

As such, the EU Commission has now decided that USB-C is the answer to their prayers and it'll now be an enforced standard for a wide range of devices if they're to be allowed to be sold in the EU. We doubt this will go down well with many device manufacturers, Apple being the obvious one here, even though the company has been slowly transitioning to USB-C on its tablets, none of its phones are using USB-C today. The following device categories are affected: smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and handheld video game consoles.

Acer has launched the latest addition to its portable monitor lineup -the PM1 portable monitor. The PM1 features a 15.6-inch IPS panel with 1920x1080 resolution, 15 ms GtG response time, a maximum brightness of 250 nits, and 800:1 contrast ratio. It boasts a 60 Hz refresh rate and wide viewing angles, along with anti-glare coating to prevent any unwanted light reflection. Being an IPS type panel, it has 178 degrees viewing angle so you can easily view content from all sides.

The display itself is a 6-bit panel, so it offers somewhat less color accuracy as it is limited to 262,000 colors. It is powered by a single USB type C cable which provides both the power and video input. When powered by a smartphone, which can not provide enough power, there is a secondary micro-USB port to supply additional power. There is also a hinge at the back of the monitor body to support it when it stands. Pricing starts at $179.99 if you are purchasing from Acer directly or $129.99 from Micro Center.

Wireless gaming mice are back in vogue as manufacturers are powering them with lightweight lithium-ion rechargeable batteries or induction current; and as gamers are beginning to care less about the added input-lag of wireless peripherals. To compete with the likes of the Logitech G Pro, which launched to generally positive reviews, ASUS launched a wireless variant of its Republic of Gamers (ROG) Gladius II. The new ROG Gladius II Wireless retains the shape, button-layout, and grip of the original Gladius II, but is wireless, lacks the bottom RGB LED diffuser, and weighs 130 g, just 20 g more than its wired sibling. It also packs a more powerful sensor.

The ROG Gladius II Wireless uses a combination of 2.40 GHz RF and low-latency Bluetooth BLE to achieve input latencies as low as 1 ms. The mouse packs a 16,000 dpi optical sensor (compared to the wired original's 12,000 dpi). At any point, if you're not sure about playing wireless, you can switch to the wired mode on the fly, by simply plugging in the included USB cable to its micro USB connector located up front. The mouse is remapped as a new device by Windows, and USB is used for both input and recharging the battery. We expect the ROG Gladius II Wireless to be competitively priced to the Logitech G Pro Wireless (around $140).

PNY Technologies, world renowned manufacturing giant for USB and Memory products, has officially released the new Duo-Link OTG USB 2.0 flash drive. The Duo-Link is your on-the-go companion with advanced feature of micro USB combined with normal USB drive only for you to enjoy your data over the go and at your home. With the Duo-Link, you can transfer data between your smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops at your own comfort without any glitch at fast speed.

The Duo-Link OU5 connects to your Android mobile device via the built-in micro-USB connector to quickly and easily transfer files. The standard USB connector on the other side of the flash drive plugs directly into the USB port on any USB 2.0 PC or laptop.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today launches the UC330 Dual USB Flash Drive featuring dual micro USB and standard USB interfaces! Available in 8, 16 and 32GB sizes, the UC330 Dual USB allows you to share and backup data between PC, tablet, phablet, or smart phone at prices rivaling built-in storage found on some mobile phones. Along with a lifetime warranty and On-the-Go (OTG) USB compliance, customers who purchase the UC330 flash drive can also enjoy ADATA's feature-packed OStoGO and UFDtoGO software packages.

Flawlessly crafted of zinc alloy with a silver finish, ADATA's Choice UC330 Dual USB Flash Drive weighs only 3.6 grams and comes with a black end cap fitted with a strap hole so you can easily carry the flash drive on a lanyard, keychain or neck strap. As you use the rocket-shaped UC330, its cap fits on either side of its dual-headed USB. When not in use, stand it up on its end for easy storage on your desktop like a rocket awaiting lift-off. Manufactured with a special chip-on-board (COB) process, resulting in high water and impact resistance, your UC330 flash drive is engineered for utmost quality and reliability.

Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory products, today announced the Lexar JumpDrive M20 Mobile USB 3.0 flash drive. Featuring two connectors - micro-USB and USB 3.0 - the new drive allows users to easily transfer playlists, photos, videos, and files with On-The-Go (OTG)-enabled Android tablets or smartphones without the use of cables or Wi-Fi.

The Lexar JumpDrive M20 Mobile offers read speeds of up to 120 MB/s and can transfer a 3 GB HD video clip in less than one minute - a faster and more convenient solution than using Wi-Fi or data connectivity. The drive sports a thumb slide design to retract both connectors and is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices.

Running out of Phone capacity again? Slow wireless file transfer? Minor issues make the mobile device not so handy! Apacer has launched the newest Apacer AH175 OTG (On-The-Go) Dual-Interface flash drive for mobile people.

The OTG flash drive features USB 2.0/Micro USB dual interface and ultra-large capacity. You can carry video, audio and large presentation files more easily! Stylish metallic casing of AH 175 exudes the sharp professional image, while the unique top hat design unveils a sense of British humor. With built-in USB/MicroUSB interfaces, files can be transferred between mobile devices, optimized for your colorful mobile life.

Patriot, a worldwide leader in flash memory solutions, DRAM memory modules, and premium mobile accessories today announces two new additions to its Stellar USB On-The-Go (OTG) memory storage ecosystem, the Stellar Boost XT and Stellar Lite. With the focus on ultra-portability, the Stellar Boost XT and Stellar Lite bring to market more options for those looking for USB OTG storage solutions for compatible Android and Windows mobile devices.

The ever growing need for more and more storage on Android or Windows mobile devices has cause manufacturers to charge a premium for high capacity onboard storage in devices. The Patriot Stellar USB OTG product family is here to change that by making high capacity add on device storage both affordable and easy to use. As with the original Stellar drive from Patriot, The Stellar Boost XT and Stellar Lite feature a dual connector design that offers both MicroUSB and full sized USB connection options for use with mobile devices or your favorite PC or Mac platforms.

Silicon Power, the world's leading provider of memory storage solutions, today unveils the latest USB 2.0 OTG (On-the-go) dual-interface USB flash drive - Mobile X20, the valuable new acquisition for SP USB OTG Series. Combined with the dual-access of a micro-USB and a USB 2.0 connector in a compact form factor, Mobiles X20 not only frees users from capacity shortage but also offers an easier way to transfer and backup files between PCs, Android smartphones and tablets without the needs for cables or Wi-Fi hotspot. Featuring dual-interfaces, tiny drive body and specialized anti-lost cap design, Mobile X20 realizes your desires for instant sharing, quick transferring and easy carrying.

Dual-function in one, multi-pleasure at once
While the use of smartphones and tablets is getting more and more popular and widespread, how to easily expand the capacities of mobile devices and quickly transfer data between devices is now on the top of mind. SP Mobile X20 is now able to meet the requirements and can act as your central data management center by which you can instantly move and store large files such as documents, photos, music and videos between PCs and OTG compatible handheld devices.

Apacer rolls out the "StripedCandy" mobile flash drive dedicated to Android smartphones and tablet PCs. Taking the shape of a colorful candy with lively stripes, the AH170 "StripedCandy" is like a perfect token for friends! Whenever you want to share the video clips and photos in your mobile device, simply connect AH170 and in no time the files can be transferred successfully instead of a laptop to transport files. It is so quick and easy that AH170 "StripedCandy" is your best buying option to share files as well as fun.

The AH170 "StripedCandy" comes in huge capacities: 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB, which add ultra-big storage to your smartphones/tablet PCs.

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash storage solutions, today announced the SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive, a USB flash drive featuring both a micro-USB and a USB 2.0 connector in a sleek and sturdy form factor. The SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive is designed for Android smartphone and tablet users who need an easy way to move content such as photos and videos from their mobile devices. The drive allows users to safely store and backup files, free-up space, or simply transfer multimedia between their smartphones, tablets and computers.

"The SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive provides a simple, convenient way to offload and backup files from smartphones and tablets - with the peace of mind that comes with the trusted SanDisk brand," said Dinesh Bahal, vice president, product marketing, SanDisk. "This new drive integrates with SanDisk's Memory Zone app to make freeing up space on mobile devices simpler than ever, improving the user experience."

The popularity of smartphones and tablets, staunch mainstays of business professionals,has repeatedly hit record highs. To boost convenience and free-style portability in the business world, Apacer rolls out AH173 OTG (On-The-Go) mobile flash drive, featuring dual interfaces, ultra-large capacity, ultra-svelte thinness, and metallic chic.

Once connected to a OTG-supported device, AH173 mobile flash drive doubles your Android smartphone and tablet capacity with maximum 32GB. It allows you to carry video, audio and large presentation files more easily. The ultra-thin zinc alloy body of the AH173 mobile flash drive exudes the sharp professional image of business people. With built-in USB/MicroUSB interfaces, files can be transferred between mobile devices and PCs at exceedingly high speeds!

KINGMAX has just released an OTG USB Flash Drive, PJ-01, especially for smartphones and tablets. What do users need is a product which fits their portable devices instead of various accessories. Consumers are greeting PJ-01 with high popularity.

And now, KINGMAX launched the latest OTG USB Flash Drive, PJ-02, for desktops, notebooks, smartphones, tablets, etc. The PJ-02 has dual transfer interfaces, standard USB and micro USB, to fit devices. KINGMAX must be emphasizing the portable device market, so they launched two OTG new products in a short while.

Corsair, a world leader in high-performance components to the PC hardware market, today announced the Flash Voyager GO USB 3.0 flash drive in 64 GB, 32 GB, and 16 GB capacities. The exceptionally lightweight, thumb-sized drive has both a USB and a Micro-USB connector, providing convenient data transfer and storage for PCs, notebooks, and Micro-USB OTG-compatible Android phones and tablets.

The Flash Voyager GO's Micro-USB connector enables transfer of videos, music, and photos from and between OTG-compatible Android devices while the USB 3.0 connector enables easy and fast storage of those files to and between desktop and laptop computers. The drive also provides convenient storage expansion for OTG-compatible phones and tablets to free up precious device memory.

Imation Corp., a global data storage and information security company, today launched the new Imation 2-in-1 Micro USB Flash Drive for Android devices. With both a standard and a micro USB connector, the plug-n-play drive conveniently connects directly to compatible mobile devices and computers to provide additional storage space. The new products were unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and will be on display at Imation's booth in the Venetian Titian ballrooms 2201A-2201B on January 7 - 10, 2014.

"The new Imation 2-in-1 Micro USB Flash Drive provides consumers with something extremely valuable: additional storage space, no batteries or internet required," said Toshi Hokari, executive director, product management and marketing, Imation. "Whether it's used to transfer photos or videos to a computer or another Android device, or to easily view content on the go, the 2-in-1 Micro USB Flash Drive solves a major headache mobile device users often experience-running out of storage space at critical times."

Verbatim has now launched (in Japan for starters) its very own flash drive featuring both full size USB and micro USB connectors. Part of the Store 'n' Go line-up, the storage solution in question is named OTG Tiny Drive and it can be used with PCs, Macs, as well as with (Android) tablets and smartphones that support USB OTG (On-The-Go).

Verbatim's drive measures 37.3 x 12.26 x 4.56 mm, it has SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) support via the full size USB port, and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Capacity-wise, the OTG Tiny Drive comes in 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB flavors.

People need various accessories for their devices. For this kind of trouble to transfer data among different devices, KINGMAX is thoughtful to design this OTG USB! Portable devices do not need external accessory to connect PCs or other host with the plug-and-play design, supported OTG (On-The-Go) function of android smart phones and tablets, people can read/edit files much more easier.When portable devices couldn't search Wi-fi signal, OTG USB make users read/edit files as usual. User needn't search any cybercafé or fast food restaurant anymore.By the way, the PJ-01 is really small and featherweight for taking along, only 3 grams.

It is convenience for outdoor enthusiasts to carry. Users can always hold their important data. Not only for the convenience, but also for trendy style with multi fashion-colors. PJ-01 is an indispensible tool for maintaining and updating data when on the road. Users will enjoy quality and convenient on-the-go experience. By sharing files, friends will be closer, and life will have more colors.

Green House has now officially embraced the newfound trend of making flash drives with both USB and micro USB ports. The Japanese company's dual-interface offering is called PicoDrive Smart and it has a full-size USB connector supporting the USB 3.0 interface, and a micro USB (2.0) port.

The PicoDrive Smart measures 37.3 x 12.3 x 4.6 mm, it comes with a one-year warranty and is selling in 8 GB (1,980 yen / ~ 19 USD), 16 GB (2,980 yen / ~ 28 USD) and 32 GB (4,980 yen / ~ 47 USD) capacities.

Leef Technology LTD. (Leef) today announced Leef Bridge 3.0, the first USB 3.0 flash drive for file sharing between Android phones and tablets, Macs and PCs. Leef Bridge 3.0 will make its U.S. debut on January 19 at select RadioShack stores nationwide as a retail exclusive for 60 days. Leef Bridge 3.0 is designed using USB 3.0 technology to deliver file transfer speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 devices.

"We're excited about the way the RadioShack team has embraced Leef Bridge 3.0," said Jonny Anderson, partner and director of product design at Leef. "As one of the largest retailers of Android phones in North America, we believe the RadioShack team is uniquely positioned to demonstrate how easy it is to transfer files from an Android phone to another device with no cable, cloud service, Wi-Fi or data connection needed. Leef Bridge 3.0 is so simple it's beautiful."

Transcend Information, Inc., a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, is proud to announce its launch of the JetFlash 380 and JetFlash 510 USB Flash Drives. The JetFlash 380 USB OTG (USB On-The-Go) Flash Drive is designed to transform the way Android users carry, transfer and exchange personal digital content. Virtually unnoticeable when plugged into a USB port, the stylish JetFlash 510 flash drive offers a space-friendly way for users to benefit from portable storage without adding bulk to their mobile device and even enjoy a personal playlist while driving.

JetFlash 380 USB 2.0 OTG Flash Drive - Think of it like a mini HDD for Android devices
Besides a standard USB interface found on regular flash drives, the dual access JetFlash 380 also features a micro USB connection for Android devices that support USB On-The-Go. This allows users to move or copy files to and from their device's memory card via a steady USB connection that is faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile internet 3G/4G. Combining two interfaces into one compact high-capacity flash drive, the JetFlash 380 focuses on the portable storage needs of mobile device users and eliminates dependence on computers, cables and adapters.

As digital media is being created on many different devices using multiple types of memory, a need for more simplified and consolidated access to memory has arisen. To fill this need, Monster Digital has released the Mobile Personal Cloud, an innovative multi-function wireless media access hub. Monster Digital, a leading provider of premium memory solutions, is confident users will find the lightweight, smartphone-sized device an exciting addition their digital ecosystem, especially when it comes to mobile entertainment.

Flexible memory and storage access
The Mobile Personal Cloud is equipped with dedicated ports for SD and microSD cards up to 64 GB, as well as standard-sized type A USB for flash drives or external hard drives up to 2TB. Micro USB is used for wired connectivity and charging the onboard battery. When a PC or Mac is connected via the micro USB port, it acts as a reader and hub, simultaneously giving access to memory cards and/or a device plugged into the type A USB port. Not only can data be viewed or played, it can be transferred among the connected storage. For example, an HD movie file from an SD card can be copied to an external hard drive.

Gigastone Corporation, a leading Taiwan-based technology manufacturer that is making its North American debut at 2014 International CES, will introduce its new On-The-Go USB/MicroUSB drive at the show. The handy item allows up to 32 GB of content to be easily stored and transferred in either direction between a computer or laptop and an Android smartphone or tablet. It will be showcased at CES in LVH Hospitality Suite 17-121.

"People today face a dilemma of having material stored on their PC or laptop and needing it on their smartphone or tablet," said Sherry Chapman, senior director of marketing at Gigastone. "Our new dual-drive, bi-directional On-The-Go USB/MicroUSB connector is the perfect way for 'on-the-go' individuals to save, backup, or transfer files. And the process is as easy as 1-2-3."

Recognizing the need for a faster, more secure solution for backing-up and transferring smartphone and tablet content without using Wi-Fi or the cloud, Monster Digital has released the Advanced Series of dual connector Mobile USB OTG Flash Drives. Monster Digital is a leading innovator and provider of premium quality memory and storage solutions, specializing in the rapidly growing flash based memory category.

The Advanced Series USB Flash Drives are USB On-The-Go (OTG) compatible, and vastly expand on the usefulness of mobile flash drives in today's digital ecosystem. Most beneficial to users is the dual USB connector feature, consisting of a standard-sized type-A USB connector, as well as a micro USB connector. Micro USB is the standard format common to most Android based smartphones. So photos, media files, contact information and other vital content can easily be transferred to the drive, saved there as a back-up or, using the standard-sized USB connector, moved onto a Windows PC or Mac.

Sony's newest USB flash drive is a "2-in-1" device, with dual micro USB and USB 2.0 connectors for fast and easy back-up, sharing and storing of personal content. The new drive fits most Android smartphones and tablets so mobile consumers can transfer and view photos and videos without using cables or Wi-Fi access.

According to industry research, photo-taking is the third most common use for a smartphone, with viewing and sharing not far behind. Tablets are also finding similar use, increasing the need for multi-function devices.

I-O Data has today announced the U3-DBL Series, a new family of flash drives that stands out from the rest by featuring not one but two connectors, one 'full-size' USB and one micro USB. The dual-connector configuration allows the drive to be easily hooked up to PCs/Macs and to (USB OTG-supporting) tablets and smartphones (no need for adapters).

The U3-DBL drive measures 67.4 x 23.5 x 9 mm, it offers USB 3.0 support (via the full size USB port), and has slide-out connectors so as to negate the need for caps. I-O Data's drive will debut early next month in 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB versions.